The ability to combine multiple selections or legs into a single selection coupled with the potential of making high returns for low stakes are the most enticing aspects that make accumulator bets attractive. However, the high-risk nature of accumulator betting is the main reason I used to be hesitant to make them; the fact that your accumulator can go up in flames when a single selection in your bet slip fails can be a frustrating experience.
But, I changed my mind after learning about acca insurance since it seeks to reduce this risk. If you are a fan of accumulator betting, this handy guide will explain how acca insurance works. We will walk you through the best acca insurance bookies, tell you how to claim acca insurance offers and more. I have also provided some tips and tricks you can apply to maximise the benefits of acca insurance promotions.
Acca Insurance Explained
Acca insurance is a promotion that helps punters mitigate the risk involved in accumulator betting by providing return security through cash or free bets if one leg lets them down. It can have a maximum value of between £10 and £25.
Bookies offer acca insurance to encourage punters to place accumulator bets. Also known as acca, combo bet or parlay bet, an accumulator is a bet that combines multiple selections into a single stake.
Each bookie sets specific terms and conditions for their acca insurance deal. This includes the number of selections required, minimum odds and the sports applicable. Looking to work out the odds on your acca? Thats easy. Just use a free accumulator calculator.
How Does Acca Insurance Work in Practice?
Since UK bookies offer acca insurance as a welcome bonus or as part of the ongoing promotional deals, you must first create a betting account to benefit from this offer. In most cases, no bonus code or opt-in will be required to be eligible for acca insurance. You only have to meet all the terms and conditions attached to the promo.
Acca Selection
To begin with, you will have to pick the minimum required markets to bet on. Most acca insurances that I have seen set their selection limit at at least 4 or 5 legs.
Acca insurance usually involves football, horse racing and tennis betting markets. Football is king in accas and acca insurance deals, with the essential markets including the total points scored, handicap, goal scores, winning margin and both teams to score. You often won’t be eligible for this insurance if you pick two or more markets per fixture. Some acca insurances state that only accumulators that consist of football selections from specific leagues qualify for insurance.
Minimum Acca Odds
Each selection you add to your bet slip accumulator will have to meet minimum odds; most bookies require your accumulator to have a combined odds of at least 4/1 or 3/1 to be eligible for this offer. This can be different at some betting sites since they might require you to have four selections or more in your acca, with each one being at odds of 1/5. You will qualify for an acca insurance if you found selections at these odds to put in your accumulator and it comes to 2.07 after multiplying 1.2 x 1.2 X 1.2 X 1.2.
Refund Type and Value
The acca insurance will come into play if one selection loses out, where the bookie will refund your stake as a free bet or betting funds. Most bookies will return bets up to a specified amount, while others have fixed free bet returns. In essence, acca insurance is like a free bet refund.
Some bookmakers offer acca odds boosts that allow players to improve the overall odds of their accumulator bet by usually 20%. While some betting sites combine odds boosts with the acca insurance, they will impose a maximum stake that the odds will apply.
If your refund is a free bet, it will be valid for anywhere between 4 and 7 days. You can use it to place bets just like you would with a deposit. It’s rare to see the minimum odds that punters can bet on with free bets being below 1/2.
If the refund is in the form of cash, it will come with specific requirements attached. This can include odds and market restrictions.
Acca Insurance Bookies
Ladbrokes Acca Insurance
Ladbrokes has one of the best acca insurance offers available due to it’s favourable terms and conditions. You must bet on 1/10 odds per selection with the overall bet coming to 3/1. Although the maximum refund is £5 from a £10 stake, it is still a quality acca insurance offer.
Betfred Acca Insurance
The Betfred football acca insurance is ideal if you are a football fan. Place a football acca with at least five selections that meet the minimum odds of 1/2 per leg will give you a 50% cash acca insurance bonus if it wins. However, if just one of your games loses, you will get your stake back up to £10.
Betway Acca Insurance
Betway uses it’s acca insurance promotion as part of it’s welcome package for new players. The opening £30 matched free bet acca is available for anyone in the UK who signs up for a new account and places a £5 bet on horse racing or football with 3+ selections. Betway asks you to meet odds of 3/1 to qualify.
BoyleSports Acca Insurance
I love the flexibility in the BoyleSports offer. In terms of acca insurance betting sites, BoyleSports comes out on top regarding the markets you can bet on as this offer is available on any market and on any sport. As long as it features five legs and you meet the minimum betting requirement of £5, you are good to go.
Acca Insurance Examples
To help you get a clear understanding of how acca insurance works, I have provided three examples of four-fold accumulators:
Example 1: Acca Loses by a Single Leg
| Fixture | Player’s Pick | Outcome | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leg 1 | 2 | 2 | Won |
| Leg 2 | 1 | 1 | Won |
| Leg 3 | 2 | 2 | Won |
| Leg 4 | 1 | Draw | Lost |
In this situation, the acca insurance will apply since one leg has let you down.
Example 2: Winning Acca
| Fixture | Player’s Pick | Outcome | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leg 1 | Draw | Draw | Won |
| Leg 2 | 2 | 2 | Won |
| Leg 3 | 1 | 1 | Won |
| Leg 4 | 2 | 2 | Won |
All your bets have won in the above scenario. That means you won’t trigger acca insurance.
Example 3: More than One Leg of Your Acca Fails to Win
| Fixture | Player’s Pick | Outcome | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leg 1 | 1 | 1 | Won |
| Leg 2 | 1 | 2 | Lost |
| Leg 3 | Draw | 2 | Lost |
| Leg 4 | 2 | 2 | Won |
In this accumulator, you have more than one loss. As such, you won’t be eligible for acca insurance.
Acca Insurance Tips & Strategies
While acca insurances provide a great way to protect yourself from the uncertainties of accumulator betting, the following tips and strategies will help you make the most from them:
Play it safe
Since acca insurance can only kick in if one of your bet selections fail, choosing individual acca selections with low odds when constructing your qualifying bet is a good idea. Doing this will increase the probability of each selection winning, which will make it less likely that two or more selections will lose.
Read and understand the promo T&Cs
Acca insurances come with terms and conditions attached. Reading and understanding them before placing an acca bet is crucial since it will ensure it complies with them, while allowing you to use this safety net effectively.
Choose the right betting markets
Consider the bet type of every selection of the qualifying acca, as it can increase or reduce its probability of being eligible for acca insurance. When it comes to match results markets, the potential outcomes are lose, win or draw. That means the chances of your selection being successful is 1 in 3. In comparison, since the possible outcomes in Under/Over goals market are only under or over, this reduces the chances of your selection paying off to 1 in 2.
Avoid too many legs
While most bookies don’t put restrictions on the max number of selections players can place, I recommend you stick to the minimum number of selections required to qualify for the acca insurance. The more selections you include in your accumulator, the riskier it gets and the chances of voiding your acca insurance are high.
FAQs
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Will I pay extra to be eligible for acca Insurance?No. Acca insurance is a promotion designed to attract and retain punters to a betting site and encourage them to place accumulator bets. You only need to meet the conditions stipulated by your chosen bookie to be entitled for acca insurance.
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Which sports markets can I use acca insurance on?This depends on where you are playing. Some bookmakers in the UK allow punters to use acca insurance on most markets, while others are for specific leagues or sports. However, football is the most common one since it’s the most popular sport for accumulator betting.
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What type of refund should I expect when acca insurance kicks in?
Most bookies refund a portion of your stake as a free bet, with the value often ranging from £10 to £25. Some bookmakers offer a refund of your accumulator as cash, but this is rare.
